


Love Unfailing, Never Shaken

by ChelleLeigh1917



Category: The White Queen (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-27
Updated: 2014-04-27
Packaged: 2018-01-21 01:32:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1532768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChelleLeigh1917/pseuds/ChelleLeigh1917
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As Richard brought her hand to his lips, Anne looked up and met his eyes. He’d not tried to bed her since the day they’d buried Ned. He’d given her space, he’d not even slept in her bed at all. At that moment, she knew he was going to try, he would try to bed her tonight.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Love Unfailing, Never Shaken

**Author's Note:**

  * For [wetbellamyblake](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wetbellamyblake/gifts).



Scarborough, Summer 1484

Richard glanced at Anne out of the corner of his eye. He could not help but notice how she seemed to not eat, no she only moved the food around on her plate. She was thinner, paler than she had been. He could not help but worry about her. No matter what he tried he could not seem to get through to her. 

As their plates were cleared away, Richard leaned closer to Anne and spoke softly. “I thought we could take a walk along the beach.” 

Anne looked up at him. In truth, she did not care what they did, or did not do. She could not seem to summon the energy to care for much these days. It mattered little to her where she was, Scarborough, Middleham, Nottingham, London, they were all the same to her now. She felt the world was bleak, devoid of all hope. 

“If that is what you wish.” She replied. 

“I do wish it.” He said softly. 

As Richard brought her hand to his lips, Anne looked up and met his eyes. He’d not tried to bed her since the day they’d buried Ned. He’d given her space, he’d not even slept in her bed at all. At that moment, she knew he was going to try, he would try to bed her tonight. The question foremost in her mind was, would she let him? 

“It has turned a touch chilly, with the wind coming from the sea, I should get my shawl.” Anne said softly

Richard nodded. “Then I will be waiting.” He reluctantly released her hand. 

Anne went quickly up to her chambers. When she opened the door, she found two of her ladies, the former princesses Elizabeth and Cecily, laying out her nightclothes. 

“Is there something you need, Your Grace?” Cecily asked. 

Anne shook her head, as she found her shawl and picked it up. “No.” She turned, and then noticed the perfume on her dressing table. Quietly, she walked over to the table and sat down. She picked up the perfume decanter and dabbled some on her wrist and neck. She glanced in the mirror and could see Elizabeth looking at her with frank curiosity. Anne doubted she would never forget how the girl had held Richard’s hand at Ned’s funeral. “Go and join the court for the night, have fun, find a young man to dance with.” She said to Elizabeth. “I will not be retiring for the evening anytime soon, and when I do, I doubt I will need your assistance.” 

“Your Grace.” Elizabeth nodded. 

Anne wanted to laugh for a moment at the confusion she heard in the young woman’s tone, but then she glanced over at Cecily, and realized, from the small smile on her face, that her other niece knew exactly what was happening. Anne met Cecily’s eyes and smiled. “Have an enjoyable evening girls.” She turned to leave. “Oh, you may put the nightgown away as well.” 

When she went back downstairs, she found Richard waiting for her near the door. “Allow me.” He said softly, taking the shawl and draping it over her shoulders. She could not help but shiver a bit at his touch. She was surprised to realize she’d forgotten what it was like to be touched by him, had forgotten how sometimes the simplest touch could make her burn with desire. 

At her shiver, Richard knew he had her. They would spend the night in bed with neither of them sleeping much. He was certain he could have taken her back to the bedchamber then, but he would wait. He would let Anne’s anticipation grow, along with his own. Let her imagine what would happen when they were in the privacy of her chambers. 

He held his hand out to her. “Come.” He said softly. 

Anne looked up at him for a moment, before slipping her hand into his. She was certain she could feel the eyes of the entire court upon them, speculating why the King was paying so much attention to his old, barren queen. In those moments those she did not care. She felt so much like the young newly married woman she’d been upon their first trip to Scarborough all those years ago. She could still remember how they’d snuck out; she in only her shift, Richard in only his breeches, how he’d helped her to resolve the fear of water she’d had since France. She could remember swimming with him in the shallow water, how they’d kissed, how they’d ran back inside, the water from their bodies dripping onto the stones. They’d barely made it back to the bed before the urgency had overtaken them. She shivered again, as she wondered if this night would be similar. 

Richard was quiet as they walked into the garden, and then out onto the beach. He stopped at the small stone bench he’d had placed there years ago. “Sit.” He said softly. 

Anne looked up at him, quizzically as he knelt in front of her. She was quiet as he took her right foot into his hands. 

“What, pray tell is the point of walking on the beach if you cannot feel the sand between your toes.” He said softly. 

Anne laughed softly as he slipped her shoe off her foot. “I have no idea.” 

“Neither do I.” He said softly. 

Anne gasped as his hand started to slowly travel up her leg. She knew he would remove her stockings, but the way he touched her at this moment. It was the most intimate touch they’d shared in months. She had clearly forgotten what he was capable of doing to her with the merest touch. His fingers gently encircled her thigh for a moment, and she realized that was decidedly not where she wished for him to touch her. She could not help but sigh in disappointment as he rolled her stocking down her leg. After he placed the stocking in her shoe, he picked up her left foot and repeated the process. 

She looked into his eyes for a moment, after he’d finished removing her stockings. As she reflected upon the desire she saw in them, she wondered how she could have ever doubted him. How had she doubted her husband? The most faithful man she’d ever known? She reached up, touching his cheek with her hand. She laughed softly, feeling the stubble, and realizing he’d not shaved since that morning. “You remember when you came back from the Scottish campaign?” She said softly. 

Richard laughed softly. “And I’d grown that beard during the campaign.” 

“You’d not even taken the time to shave.” She laughed softly. 

He gently pulled her up to stand. “The way you looked at me at first, you didn’t care for it at all.” 

“No, I didn’t.” She laughed. 

“By the end of the night, you loved touching it as much as you love running your fingers through my hair.” 

Anne sighed softly, feeling his hands at her waist, starting to gently explore. “Yes, I did.” 

“Speaking of loving to run fingers through hair….” He murmured. “Take your hair down.” He’d studied the ribbons all evening, but still had not been able to figure out exactly how to take her hair down. 

She laughed softly, stepping back and moving her hands to her hair. “You cannot figure out the ribbons, can you?” 

“No.” He grumbled playfully, as he watched her remove them. 

She removed the ribbons, then let her hair fall down her back. She smiled at his intake of breath. Sometimes, it still surprised her that he enjoyed something so simple as her letting her hair down. 

He picked up a strand of her hair, and wound it around his wrist for a moment. “Beautiful.” He murmured. “Like the rest of you.” 

As they walked along the beach, and she felt the waves lapping at her feet and hemline, Anne realized he did not need any explanations. He knew without her saying that she’d not fully been herself since they’d lost Ned. He did not need apologies or explanations. He only needed her. She realized the same was true for her, she only needed him, just as she always had. 

“Richard…” She murmured, tugging at his hand. She wanted to go back inside. She wanted to go back now. 

As he turned to look at her, it was on the tip of his tongue to say no, to ask her for more patience, to prolong the desire they both felt. But as he noticed the look in her eyes, Richard knew it was time to go inside. As one they turned, laughing as they almost ran back to the bench where they’d left the shoes. 

Richard gently pushed Anne to sit, and he took her foot to gently slid her shoe on again. She gasped as his fingers wandered up her legs. He went to her thighs, but again he went no further. 

As they slipped back into the castle, they both could hear the court’s evening revelry coming from the hall. Anne laughed softly, as she imagined the young courtiers dancing. Tonight though, the King would not be there, tonight he would have a most private and intimate dance with the Queen. 

When the bedchamber door closed behind them, Richard gently pushed her against it. He kissed her deeply, pressing his body tightly against her, and not allowing her to move. 

Anne groaned softly. She’d not truly realized how much she’d missed this, the feel of his lips on hers, his body against hers. She’d forgotten how much she needed this, how much she needed him. She started to unbutton his doublet, and push it from his shoulders. 

Richard pulled her away from the door, and started towards the bed. As they reached the bed, he turned Anne in his arms and started to unlace her gown. He couldn’t help but laugh as it slackened, and she started to pull it off. “Eager?” He said softly. 

“You have no idea.” She murmured. She impatiently kicked her gown away with her feet. She moaned softly as his hands slipped under her shift and cupped her breasts. 

“Anne…” He murmured. “Need…”

“If you’re going to say you need to just take me now, that’s exactly what I need. I need you to take me, I need to feel you inside me. The rest, it can come later, but please Richard….it’s been too long.” She murmured. 

Anne gasped as he picked her up, and carried her the short distance to the bed. She laughed softly, helping him with his breeches. 

Once Anne had pushed his breeches off, Richard gently pushed her back. He pulled her shift up to her waist, not caring that she still wore her shift, and then he still wore his shirt, he slowly entered her. As he felt her warmth envelope him, he knew this would not last long. He groaned softly, thrusting, feeling almost no control over himself at all. 

Anne groaned, wrapping her legs around him, and drawing him in deeper. She moaned as she felt his hand slip between them. She knew he was close, that he would not last long, but he never forgot to see to her pleasure. 

“Don’t hold back.” He murmured. “I want to hear you.” 

“Richard…” Anne started to cry out. She gasped as she felt the pleasure she’d denied herself for far too long wash over her. She’d needed this, and she’d needed it badly. As he collapsed against her, Anne wrapped her arms around him tightly, holding him close. 

Several moments later, Richard raised up, untangling himself from her arms. He kissed her forehead. “I’m not finished.” He murmured. 

“I know that.” Anne said softly, watching as his hand gently stroked her stomach. She sighed softly, as she sat up from him to remove her tangled shift, which was soon joined by his shirt on the floor. As he caressed her legs, and then moved down her body, she knew exactly what he would do. She closed her eyes, reaching for the bedpost, as he kissed her thighs. 

Later, in the middle of the night, Anne lay awake in his arms, watching him as he slept peacefully. She was tired, but she wanted to watch him, to remember. To remember she was dearly loved, and although she was no longer a mother, perhaps her marriage bed was not as dried up as she’d thought it to be.


End file.
